Improvement in propulsion of canal-boats



H. FOWLER.

Improvement in Propulsion of Canal Boats N0. 121,712. Patented Dec.12,2871.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROPULSION OF CANAL-BOATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,712, dated December 12, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HARVEY FOWLER, ofWashington city, District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in the Method of Propelling Canal-Boats, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to the propulsion of canal or other boats running in shallow water by means of side wheels, to which are attached flexible arms projecting far enough from the periphery of the wheel to reach the bottom of the canal or stream, the wheels being adjustable so as to adapt them to different depths of water.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wheel and boat. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

The side Wheels A A are revolved by means of a crank-shaft, B, in the usual manner, and driven by steam or otherwise. The said side wheels are of sufficient diameter and so adjusted upon their axes as to reach within about a foot of the average level of the bottom of the canal. Aftixed to the periphery of each wheel are slender flat springs O O, curved as shown, and hearing at the end of each a flat piece of metal or hard Wood, to serve as aclaw. These projecting springs reach out for a distance of two feet or more from the periphery of the wheel, so that when the wheel revolves the said springs must necessarily impinge upon the ground and thus propel the boat in the direction the wheels are revolving. The bearings of said crank-shaft are adjustable-that is, the crank-shaft may be disconnected from the driving-shaft, raised by the aid of a hand-spike or lever, so as to bring the projecting springs clear of the ground when the boat is to be backed or when entering a lock. The bearings of the crank-shaft having the vertical slot 0 0 are shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The paddles or buckets D l) are to be added when required-that is, for deep water and for backing, when the springs are free from contact with the ground, and are attached by means of eye-bolts running through openings made in the wheel to receive them, and keyed by means of key-bolts or equivalent device. They may be placed and displaced at pleasure.

I claim as my invention- The side wheels A A, with the curved springs O O projecting from the periphery of each, substantially as and for the purpose described.

HARVEY FOWLER.

Witnesses:

FREDK. H. COBB,

N. DU Bois. (139) 

